


We're Just Human In A Way

by Ottermouse



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Being a Pathfinder is hard, But Liam is a good boyfriend, Caretaking, Established Relationship, Exhaustion, F/M, Non-Sexual Intimacy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-18
Updated: 2020-04-18
Packaged: 2021-02-23 13:03:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23711968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ottermouse/pseuds/Ottermouse
Summary: Ryder reflects on her relationship with Liam, and Liam takes care of her.
Relationships: Liam Kosta/Female Ryder | Sara
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20





	We're Just Human In A Way

**Author's Note:**

> Had this fic written for a year but I'm finally posting now. Title from We Didn't Make It To the Moon by Milky Chance.

Ryder never thought in a million years that she’d end up with someone like Liam.

His overt positivity and almost naive belief that good intentions always win over not-so-good ones were… concerning.

Like Cora had said, what would happen to him if things went horribly wrong? And just because he had good intentions didn’t mean that others did. Though she did agree that all this political xenophobia was utter bullshit.

But he was sweet, and that  _ accent _ , fuck. It wasn’t supposed to happen but he’d been so upset and he was never upset and she just kissed him and one thing led to another and now… here they were.

Ryder figured that his wants and desires weren’t as unreasonable as she’d originally thought, though his methods still needed work. She’d started her journey as Pathfinder trying to be as serious and logical as she could (just like her father), but as time went on and with Liam’s influence, she became more relaxed and casual. He made her laugh, that was probably her favorite thing about him. Whether it was on purpose with a cheesy joke or due to some idea of his being utterly  _ ridiculous _ . He made her feel human. Like an actual person, not a leader whose decisions literally change the world they’re in, not a person with enough political power to sway the people who could be taken advantage of. Just a regular old human being.

She loved that about him.

And if he more often than not had his shirt off while he was working in the storage area, well, she had no complaints.

SAM knew, of course. Would ask questions about her relationship when they were alone, trying to comprehend and understand. It helped her as well, she thought, to be able to talk her feelings out without fear of judgement, only curiosity. And thankfully, for now, he chose to remain silent while she and Liam had those rare, intimate moments together.

* * *

Ryder dragged her feet up to the ramp leading back into the Tempest. She was out of breath and her armor was covered in blood and guts and pieces of remnant and the local flora. 

She felt a hand press against her back, steadying her wobbling stance. She glanced back, exchanging tired, melancholy smiles with Vetra before walking the rest of the way to the ship together.

Once they made it through the airlock, Ryder took her time taking her armor off piece by piece. Her arms were limp from carrying her guns around rugged landscapes all day, limbs sore from the amount of biotic energy she’d expended. The thought of having to bend down to remove her leg armor and boots sounded dizzying, so she simply sat on the floor as she tugged the pieces off before tossing them into her locker and slamming the door closed.

She sighed, thinking of all the other things she’d have to do before taking a nap, which was all she really wanted at the moment. Maybe she’d just fall asleep in the locker room. Sure, the ground was hard and she was still soaking in sweat, but what did that compare to a few hours of unconsciousness?

“Need a hand?” Liam extended his as he squatted down in front of her. His smile was infectious as always and Ryder couldn’t help but turn her lips up at the sight of her equally battle-weary boyfriend.

“More like I need a break, but a hand’ll do,” she replied as Liam helped her off the ground.   
She felt herself swaying as she got to her feet, and she let herself lean into Liam’s strong frame. His arms wrapped around her, brushing the nape of her neck and supporting her waist. He softly kissed the top of her head.

“May I carry you?” he asked.

“Hmm?"

“I don’t think you’re in the condition to get down the ladders without falling.”

Ryder glanced at her shaking legs. “Yeah, I think you’re right about that.”

Liam picked her up, one arm supporting her shoulders and the other tucked under her knees. Ryder closed her eyes and leaned into Liam’s chest as he lifted her out of the airlock and down the bridge to the research room, down the lift in engineering, then back up to her quarters. 

She could hear the voices of her teammates as they went along, but she wasn’t able to focus on any of their words. SAM was keeping quiet as well. Maybe he, too, was feeling the utter exhaustion she was experiencing. 

She was jostled out of her drowsiness for a moment as Liam gently shook her.

“Hey, we’re at your quarters, could you open the door?”

She lazily waved her omnitool across the lock, door letting out a small beep before it swished open.

Liam set her down in a chair before turning on the shower in her private bathroom and rummaging around for a towel.

He carried her once more into the shower, which thankfully had a small seat which Ryder sat on.

“Hey.” Liam knelt down in front of her, trying to gain eye contact with her. “Is it alright for me to… take your clothes off? I mean– to wash you– I mean–”

Ryder smiled, threading one hand into his hair. “Yes, Kosta, it’s alright.”

“Ok. No funny business, I promise,” he replied, stripping as well.

He started with her body. Once the under armor was off, he used a sponge to clean off all of the dirt and grime on her skin. He then moved on to her hair, using all of his fingers to rub the shampoo in, the feeling of which combined with the hot water, made Ryder deeply relaxed.

Like he’d promised, there’d been no funny business, no pressure or expectation to do anything sexual, and when the shower was done, he helped her dry herself. 

By then she’d gained enough strength back to be able to slip some pajamas on herself before Liam tucked her into bed. No longer needing to try to keep herself conscious, she quickly fell asleep.

To say that she woke up feeling rested and energized, however, would be false.

While the initial wave of fatigue was gone, the weight of everything expected of her still lay heavy on her shoulders. She rubbed her eyes and stared up at the ceiling. 

“SAM?” she asked. “How long have I been asleep?”

“Four hours, Pathfinder. You stirred an hour ago, so I increased your body’s melatonin levels. You needed it.”

“Thank you,” she replied. “I still feel like a bag of rocks, but less than I did four hours ago.”

“You’re welcome.”

She let out a deep breath before slowly sitting up and getting out of bed. She dressed quickly in loose fitting clothing before leaving her quarters, stifling a yawn.

There was so much to do, and she began making a list in her head of all the immediate problems that needed to be tended to, mentally asking SAM to remind her of them later.

“There you are, my sleeping beauty.” Liam’s face popped out from the kitchen. “Been keeping the coffee warm for you.”

“Thanks, Liam.” Ryder went in for a brief hug, but ending up leaning into his warmth and letting herself enjoy the simple comfort it brought.

He wrapped his arms around her, pressing a soft kiss into her hair. “Feeling better?”

“Now I am.” She pulled away from the hug. “So where’s that pot of coffee you mentioned?”

“Right this way, Pathfinder.” He led her by the hand.

In a world full of new aliens, wildlife, planets, and technology, Liam truly was the only person who truly made her feel human.

**Author's Note:**

> tbh I wrote this fic somewhat out of spite after I told my friend I romanced Liam and his reply was "Really? ...Wow, you deserve better than that."


End file.
